The Great War - Uchiha vs Senju
by Missbexiee
Summary: Women weren't always ninja! When a young girl has to take her brother's place in war it takes on a Mulan-esque feel, Uchiha style! The young Uchiha trains with her cousins Madara and Izuna, while attempting to get the upper hand on the Senju. Will they find out she's a woman and send her dying brother out instead? And what will happen when love blooms between two cousins?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own Naruto or any of the characters._

_Before I begin, a little intro. This is a story based on the old tale of Mulan - Uchiha style. You'll understand as you read. Another thing to point out, the names are important: Karasu (main protagonist) means Crow. Izuna typically means fox. Further explanation is explained later in the text. This is only chapter one and will be on-going._

_Like always, feedback is appreciated and encouraged! Thanks, and enjoy!_

_..._

I shift my position. The chimes on the porch sing their lulling tune as the spring wind blows. I wonder where it's going. I wish I were wind... I could go wherever my life led me. I wouldn't be stuck here.

My lungs fill with the spring air. It smells of blossoms and rebirth. Too bad I feel like I'm dying... I am slowly being crushed. By boredom. The rest of the world – reality, how exciting was it right now? I've heard stories but...

My eyes shift out the window. Out there. A war.

I let my mind wander. I can see the clashing of the swords, the forming of the hands. Blood. Splattering onto the ground, spilling the guts and secrets of my kin.

A soft grunt escapes my grandmother's mouth. I snap back to attention.

"Karasu! How do you expect to make a good wife, if all you do is fantasize?" The old woman stares at me with her small black eyes. Her thick, spiky, black hair, tied into a tight bun. I don't know how she does it, my mother always complains my hair is untamable. Beautiful. But untamable.

I bite my lip thinking about my grandmother's comment. I want to argue her, point out that at this point there probably aren't even any Uchiha men left to marry... but I know I'm not allowed to. All she sees me as, all I am is a wife. All I am is a woman. But I know there's more. I have something special. Something that boys have too.

I place my hand over my heart. Chakra was it? That's what my cousin had taught me. I have that ability. I wonder if I can make that fire come out of my mouth once more and burn my obnoxious grandmother. To be a wife, how drawl. But this power...

My eyes flash the images of last fall before me. Both my cousins were there, we ran off for a small break from sharpening the swords. Well, _I _wasn't allowed to sharpen the swords... but I was allowed to watch for once. We left our fathers in the tea room so they could talk about the war.

"Izuna!" My eldest cousin yelled, looking at his brother. His spiky black hair, sticking up at odd ends like it always had. It was like he had slept on it the wrong way every night.

His brother looked back up and smiled a mischievous grin. I let the expression follow onto my face, as my cousin revealed the two large sharp swords he had managed to sneak away with. He speedily flashes one in Madara's face.

My cousin shows a look of disapproval, "I'll tell dad, Izuna. We aren't supposed to be practicing today. And especially not around," he looks my way and lowers his gaze, "a woman."

I scrunch my nose, "Oh come on Maddi! Don't be so afraid of me," I jokingly pick a sword up, finding its weight much heavier then I expected. It twists in my hands and I fall to the ground with it, Madara rushes over to help me.

"Are you alright Karasu?" His eyes frantically search my body for signs of damage, "My dad would kill me if I let anything happen to you."

I pout my lip and brush off my sleeves, "I'm fine, I'm not a porcelain doll! I don't need anyone to look out after me." He never used to be like this. When we were children, it was totally fine if we all got dirty and tackled each other. But now, apparently, I'm only a woman. Even to my favorite cousins. I sulk a bit as I try to tame my hair back into the carefully gelled bun my mother had made this morning. It isn't going well, the hair continues to stick back out and wrap around itself.

"Gah! Dad's coming!" Izuna yells frantically as he throws the swords into the bushes and attempts to cover them with leaves. He tries to calm his breath and looks worriedly to Madara.

His brother offers a look that reads, "It's your problem, not mine."

I giggle at the brothers' odd communication method. I quickly close my legs, into a more lady like position. Madara stealthily pulls the twig from my hair. Both boys stand to attention. We need to act proper for our elders.

"Madara. Come with me. We'd like to have you in, on this war meeting."

I watch my cousin's eyes grow wide, Izuna and mine follow suit. A kid like us, being asked to a war meeting? I can feel the excitement seeping from Madara. Izuna and I silently cheer him on. It would be weakness to show our true feelings. And that would be un-Uchiha of us.

Madara nods obediently and stands up a bit taller as he follows his father away. Izuna offers a wink to his departing brother, he plops into the grass next to me and we watch them walk away. His mouth curves in a gentle way. I find his love for his brother adorable. Before my brother got ill, we acted like that way too.

After some time, I turn to my cousin, "Why do you think they're letting him join?"

Izuna grins, "He just unlocked his Sharingan."

I gasp in excitement. I wasn't completely sure what a Sharingan was, I only know it is our clan's specialty. Nonetheless, I felt happiness for my cousin. He had always kept us together. Always looked out for Izuna. When times were simpler, we had lots of fun together.

Slowly our bodies recline into the soft cushion of ground beneath us. We stare into the sky. Watching the little clouds float above us.

"I wish I could fly," I hear Izuna's voice reach out. It's such a childish thought, but we were children weren't we? I was only eleven and he was the same age as me. We were just kids.

I nod, "Me too."

"If I could, I would end this war! I could become a bird, and fly over the Senju... finding all of them and then swooping in for the kill!" He makes outrageous motions with his hands as he explains his feats. Slowly he quiets down a bit, but his voice still breathes heavily with a sound of adventure.

"I want to do that too!" I join, in with the moment.

He chuckles and turns to his side the grass sticking up and tickling his face.

I scrunch my nose again and turn to face him, "What's so funny?"

"You're a girl. You can't fight."

I roll my eyes, trying to keep my feelings at bay, "I could take you on Izuna, you're no match for me!"

His eyes light up. I've always loved my cousin's eyes. So full of warmth. We all have deep black eyes in the family, but something about his, are just different. It's like he sees the world in another color then the rest of us do. Sometimes Madara's eyes look like that too, but recently they've gone dark.

Izuna rustles in the bushes, looking for something. I watch a sharp object fly past my face and duck quickly before it hits me. My heart pounds and I have to grasp my chest, hoping I don't die from panic. A perky face smiles widely at me as it pops throw the bushes and I remember it was just the sword from earlier. And Izuna would never actually hit me.

"You jerk! Don't scare me!"

He picks himself up and walks towards me, revealing the second sword, "Hah, if you want to be on a real battlefield, just you wait! Go pick up your sword!"

My mouth almost drops. Were we going to spar? I hurriedly run and reach for the blade in the grass. I make sure to grasp it firmly on its black handle. The shiny metal stares back at me. I remember practicing with my brother, but only when we were younger. It's been a while.

I turn and face my opponent, his cheeky grin taunting me on like always. I lift my foot up and kick off the sandals, they hurt my feet anyways. I lower the weapon for a moment and take off my kimono top too, it'll only slow me down.

"Geez, girls take forever. Are you ready yet?"

"Oh just hush up!"

"Make me!"

I give him a smile as I rush towards him, sword cocked on my shoulder, it's much to heavy for me but I can't show weakness.

"Try two hands Kusura!" Izuna calls out from behind me. How did he? I turn and find him in another position.

"You're fast!" I call out, but I take his advice. I wrap my second hand around the grip and rest it on top of my first hand. He was right, this position was easier. I sweep in off my shoulder and try whipping the sword around in a quick manner. Izuna easily counters.

The swords make a loud noise, I blink a bit in retaliation from the 'clink.' It was louder then I had thought. Izuna swings his blade underneath, near my abdomen. I tilt my body a bit and dodge as I wrap around the top for an overhead hit on Izuna.

He counters again with ease. I watch his shoulders carefully. They should tell me what he's planning. I see the shoulder wind up in the back, I know he'll throw a low swing. As it comes I quickly jump higher and try to swing the sword from my right, almost getting Izuna's collar.

He jumps back with surprised eyes, "Wow! You're fast!"

I smirk, "Of course I am! You're pretty slow for a fox!" I poke fun at his name.

"Yea, well I don't see you flying very much, Miss Crow!"

The sword almost feels weightless now, we quickly exchange blows as the metal glides off each other. I feel my feet moving quicker as I skate around the dirt. I manage to keep my balance too.

"Are you sure you haven't fought before?"

I giggle, "Nope, just wrestling with you two!"

He curves his eyes upward as a smile accompanies his face, "You're a natural ninja then!"

My body freezes. I drop my grip a bit and the sword starts to fall. I feel my chest swell up with emotion. Izuna drops his sword and runs over to me. My mother had warned me about this, as women grow they find more things... intense.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"You think I'm a ninja?" My voice is so soft. I stare at the ground, looking at my bare feet. Staring at the dirt.

"No, I'm sorry! You're a great woman! You'll be a great wife, Karasu!"

I jab him in the shoulder, a bit more then I meant. I slowly catch his eyes, "No. Thank you."

Izuna scratches his head, "I'm confused now."

I smile, "Thank you for seeing me as a ninja. There's more to me then just a girl. There's a lot more."

He places his hand on my shoulder, "I know that."

And he did. He does. He knows me.

My cousin grips my hand and runs me down one of the paths into the woods. The ground is wet, and the mud squishes between my toes. Izuna pulls me down several long paths, and we scale down by some tree roots. There's a large, but shallow pond in a small clearing.

He stops abruptly and I almost fly into the water, "Chakra."

"Chak what?" I ask, not following.

He laughs, "Chakra. It's easy. We all have it, even the girls."

My eyes grow wide with excitement, "I have it too? What can I do?"

Izuna puts his finger up to his lip, "Easy. In each and everyone of us we have special cells... like in our blood." He stares up at the sky trying to think, "And we can form these special cells and make energy..."

I scratch my head, "That makes no sense..."

He nods, "Just watch." I watch him move his hands and take a large breath. My heart pounds faster as I see a large burst of flames roll out from his mouth. I yell, afraid I will be burned, I accidentally trip into the mud. Izuna makes a motion with his hands by his mouth and stops the flames.

The red and orange color disappears from the area, leaving everything normal once more. He helps me back up, "That was my chakra. All Uchiha can do that."

I tsk in disbelief, "Yea right!"

He folds his arms, "Hey! My dad said so! You can too!"

My disbelief has turned to shock, "I don't..." I look at the ground again. Could it be true? Could a woman do something like that?

Izuna takes my waist, "Here, first try breathing in really deeply."

I roll my eyes but take his lead. I fill my lungs deep with air. My eyes shut and I let my breathing consume my being.

"Great, now try and feel your lungs. Whenever I make the flames I feel my lungs fill with hot air. Try and move all your energy to that point."

Though I wouldn't admit it to him, I have some doubt I can actually do this. But some part of me is praying that I can manage. I shut my thoughts out and focus all my strength on my chest. Trying to summon this odd magic into it.

Izuna's hands take mine into his. He slowly places my fingers ontop of each other. It feels odd.

"This will help you manipulate your chakra... look," he directs me and I stare at my hands, "Snake," he moves them around once more, "dragon." He holds my hands tightly and waits for me to memorize the position. "Rabbit." He slides my index finger and presses it against my other. "Tiger."

I feel a small jolt in my body. Like something was summoning from inside of me. I shake the thought, it was probably only coincidence.

"That's it?" I ask Izuna, still staring at my formed hands.

He nods, "Try it."

I turn towards the pond and try to remember everything he had taught me. Breath deeply. Check. Focus odd magic to your lungs. Check. Snake. Dragon. Rabbit. Ti-

"Ahhh!" I feel a fierce rush of fire in my chest and it burns. The pain is unbearable. It pushes its way up, like I am going to regurgitate flames. My mouth automatically opens and the flames spew out before. There aren't nearly as many as Izuna had summoned. It continues for a moment, and I quickly recall the motion Izuna had made to stop his.

I blink a few times, and then fall to the ground, my head spinning. Izuna rushes over to me.

"Karasu! That was fantastic! Your first try too!" He looks at me with those eyes, "You really are a ninja."

"Izuna, Karasu!" A voice booms from over us. We both turned frighteningly to face the punishment behind us. My heart races fast. Not only had I just spit up flames today, I also was in huge trouble.

My brother towers over the two of us, offering his pained face.

"What were you two doing?" He asks.

As if he doesn't know, I ask myself sarcastically.

"Sorry, Niisan. We were only... playing a game..."

"You were practicing Ninjutsu with a woman. Izuna, go to your father. You and your brother are returning to the battlefield later," he tosses a sword towards my cousin. Our eyes share a sheepish look, we had left the blades in the wide open... some ninja we were. I give a forlorn gaze to my cousin as he departs without words.

My brother turns to deal with me, his face growing with that same pained expression, "As for you -" He turns his head reluctantly and goes into a long coughing fit. Holding onto me tightly for support. I am afraid he's going to cough up his heart.

"Nii-san, are you okay?" I ask, trying to be as sweet as possible. My brother put up with a lot. I wasn't always the best little sister.

He whips his mouth, forcing himself to finish, he turns to me and nods. I can tell there's something still inside his throat, since he isn't talking to me, but I follow behind him back to the house. We wrap through the small forest and find the cottage once more. My confine. There is dread in my step.

We enter through the door and my mother's smile quickly turns into a frown as she notices my messy state.

"Karasu! Your kimono! And your hair!" She rushes over to me and tries smoothing it out, while noticing all the dirt under my fingernails. I watch my brother walk off to his room, clutching his stomach. He's gotten worse.

"You'll never get a man like that! When I was your age -"

I tune out grandmother's voice automatically. My mother must see the disdain written on my face. She takes my hand. My mother's grip grows tighter as she pulls me into the bathroom. My breathing quickens as my grandmother continues spewing her hate.

"I told you! You should have kept her quiet as a baby, a woman with too much voice will never make a good wife."

"Which is why your husband died!" I yell in fury. She has no right to talk to me like that. One day, I'll be a warrior. One day she'll see.

A large burning and stinging sensation begins leaking from the back of my head. I fall to the ground in pain and look back up at my mother, with a torn expression. She takes the grip on my hand once more and throws me into the bathroom. She carefully shuts the door.

"You ungrateful little shrew! How dare you talk to your grandmother that way!" Her face seldom takes this form, usually only when I am at my most l. Her eyes are narrowed and the wrinkles by her mouth seem deeper then normal. Overall she looks old... much older then she actually is, if I remember she can't be more then twenty-seven.

She grabs a basin from the corner. It's not my place to talk right now. She dunks my head in and violently scrubs my face.

"The matchmaker is coming tonight, you better be on your best behavior young lady!"

"Match-" She scrubs over my mouth before I can complain. I look down at the murky water, so much dirt in so little time. I am supposed to keep quiet, that's what it reads. But I don't want to keep quiet.

My mother takes a break from swishing my hair in the water to go grab her tools. A matchmaker, to interview me for a future husband. How barbaric, and during a war too. For all I know my future husband could be dead the next day.

I stay obedient as my mother returns to apply the white powder to my face. I stare into the mirror across from me. My skin already was a pure white, giving an outstanding contrast to my dark black eyes. My mother carefully paints my lips a deep ruby red. Nipping it at the sides of my mouth, so it looks like lips of a doll's.

She paints my eyelids with a black. Then she starts combing my hair back, and massaging it with the disgusting pig gel. Scooping all the loose strands into large lumps on the sides. Her hand-work is amazing, though I would never tell her. I'm too stubborn.

She places an old jade clip at the top, again, the contrast from my slick black hair is beautiful. But I look in the mirror again. I miss the dirt. The adventure. The freedom. I watch my mother toss the basin out the window. That's what my freedom was, a topic that just gets thrown out the window.

The woman massages my neck a bit, looking in the mirror with me, "You're a beautiful young lady. When you keep your composure, you're perfect. You understand? The men will love you." She smiles warmly and I look at the two of us. Mother and daughter. We looked so much a like... but my eyes are different. They're not like Izuna's, but there's something in them. They are always searching.

She wraps me in my kimono top, placing two large clips on my ears that dangle with jewels. I look royal. She helps me stand as she walks me back towards the living room. We are trying a different matchmaker this time. The last one, didn't go too well..

"The matchmaker is here!" I snap my mind back to the present. The trees are just starting to bud, the soft spring music in the air. My mind had been in that memory for so long, I want to go back even. But not much has changed. I look down, the same kimono, the same earrings, the same face. Ironic that I was meeting a matchmaker in my memories and am now forced with the familiar situation once more.

"Hello Miss Karasu," the small woman sits down across from me. Her eyes are like peas, and her mouth is tiny. Everything about her is small. She might blow away with the wind.

I put on my best smile, "Hello." I bow in respect as we sit down at the tea table. I carefully pour the tea for both of us, boy how many times had I done this. The dark green liquid swishes in the cup and the steam creates a little pattern in the air.

I sip it gently, waiting for the woman to speak, "As you know, your parents have picked out your man. It took a while to find a good Uchiha, but they insisted on you staying in the bloodline. He's a captain in the army, dashing, and noble. I am here to secure the wedding night."

My mother sits down next to me, nodding excitedly. I've never met this man, and I don't care to. My mother told me he was in his twenties. I'm only twelve.

"You will need to offer up a suitable -"

I tune her out, she's only talking to my mother now. We need to give something to the other family. I'm sure he's a cousin or at least somewhat related to me, he is an Uchiha after all. My family will probably give him some of our money and animals. We were doing well for wartime... my brother's medicine being the only big thing we have to pay for.

The picture on the table shows the man I will marry. Pure white face. Onyx eyes. Deep black spiky hair. As an Uchiha he is already what one would call handsome, but he has very stark features. He seems stressed in the picture almost, there are several deep lines and bags underneath his eyelids. He doesn't seem particularly happy either. In the picture his is wearing traditional armor, it's very stunning.

There's a knock on the door. Everyone turns their attention to a large man entering, he bows to us women, "I must share an announcement from the front lines, tell the men of your household to join me."

My mother nods and rises to fetch my brother. As soon as the door opens, my brother's coughing pours out. My poor brother. I can hear his sticky footsteps as he forces himself down the hall. My eyes grow wide. He looks worse then usual. His skin is a sickly yellow, his lips practically blue. My lip quivers as I assess his health.

His hand shakes as he offers it to the man. Usually by now the men would take their leave, but he stays put, "As decreed by our head... all Uchiha households will now offer up one more man in their household to join the lines. Report tomorrow."

My heart stops and I stand. My brother was the only man left in our household. Emotion comes over me and I forget my place, "You can't do that! He's sick! He can't go!"

My mother shoots daggers at me with her eyes. But I won't let this happen. I won't let them send my niisan to his death. My emotions start to consume and I feel every part of my body breaking. My brother will die, along with everyone else in my family. Everyone else that I love. A tear slips and rolls down my face.

The man takes one look at me and labels me as a hormonal woman, meaning he must not do anything to stop me. My mother takes me and drags me back to the table. My brother nods, staring at nothing in particular. The man shares a bow and then leaves. My entire body is still shaking. The tears roll freely as I try to shake them.

I hear a book close and look up. The small woman is shaking her head, "I thought you said your daughter was mature. Apparently this was an unforeseen issue. I will have to report this outburst of emotion to the other family. The marriage date is postponed."

My chest heaves in and out. I want to tackle this woman. My mother furrows her brow and bows goodbye to the matchmaker. As soon as the door closes I throw myself at my mother's feet.

"I'm so sorry! I am! Mother!" The emotions are still corrupting me, my eyes are lined with tears... most likely smearing my makeup to a hideous state. My mother shakes her head and leaves me. She had just lost her children. I was hopeless, and now my brother was going to march off to his death. She loved him so much. Her son.

I pick myself off the ground as I whimper through the hallway. I peer into my brother's room. He sits on the bed staring at a collection of armor on the floor. A large sword above the wall. I lean in the door frame. The doctor had said that heart complications run in our family's blood, it's a sickness that follows us to our graves.

Without noticing I take in a sniff from my runny nose and my brother turns to find me looking at him. I back away but his hands call to me. I run into the room as he takes me into his arms.

"Niisan! I'm so sorry, for everything. Don't go!" I bite my lip to keep myself from crying again today. My brother slowly undoes my hair and smooths it out.

"Your hair is beautiful, Karasu." His eyes glaze over a bit as he stares at me. My heart is breaking as I force myself to keep calm in his presence. He grunts and shuts his eyes closed as he grabs his chest. I place my hand over his heart, I wish I could heal him.

We don't need anymore words. I shovel my head into his chest as he plants his chin on top. He holds me closely and I embrace his warmth. I love you niisan. I love you.

After some time of peace there's a knock on the door, interrupting it. My mother enters with a tray of dinner. Her eyes meet mine, surprised I am here. I know the meal is only for my brother. I kiss him on the forehead and rub it thoughtfully. I smooth his hair back and he smiles up at me. He felt so warm. I plant another kiss, and he strokes my cheek.

"Everything will be okay," he gives me that half smile once more. How can he be so happy, knowing death meets him tomorrow? Or was he trying to be happy for me?

I eat dinner half-heartedly. I can't even eat all of the rice on my plate. My hands drop my chopsticks on the plate and I look up to my grandmother and mother. I fold my hands together and ask in as sweet of voice as I can, if I am permitted to leave. They nod and I gratefully accept this.

I run into my room and throw myself onto my bed. Feeling the emotions of today. It all feels so heavy. Me being rejected again, my brother being sent off... _I _would stand a better chance then he would.

My eyes light up_. I _would stand a better chance then he would! I bite my lip, but I am a woman... I turn my gaze to the small hand mirror on my dresser. I walk over to it quietly. My face was plain, not too feminine but not really ugly, just plain. Something overtakes me.

My body screams out as I grab the scissors out of the drawer. My arms shake in retaliation, nothing wants me to do this. My body is even against me. But my heart thinks otherwise. I had heard about the Uchiha heart. We love and care, more then anyone. And I love my brother more then anyone.

I tie my hair back, my gorgeous thick hair that he had complimented today. I slice through the bun and watch it flutter to the ground. My chest starts to heave as I look at all of it scattered around me. My hair, my wonderful hair. I want to take it all back and glue it back onto my head. But this is for niisan. I check my face once more.

It was a close cut I predict, and in wartime it doesn't have to look fashionable. I attempt to cut my bangs a bit framing them down my face. I look again and am shocked at my resemblance to my brother. My eyebrows are a bit more trimmed then a man's, but I am only a child anyways. I grab the tape off the desk, I quickly wrap it around my forming chest. Uchiha's are quick-developers, I don't want anything popping up when I'm out.

The tape cuts at my sides and almost chokes me. I look once more in the mirror, this time about to cry. I looked nothing like a woman anymore. Just this morning I was beautiful. Just this morning I was going to be a bride. But isn't that what I had wanted? To be a warrior? I crawl into the bed once more, waiting for the deep of night that only comes with time.

My stomach growls from the lack of food during dinner, but even now I can't eat. If I did, it would just come right back up. Night comes, reluctantly. I force myself to leave my head. I will not have second thoughts this far into everything. The moon seems to be against my decision too, as it shines brightly in through my window killing my stealth. I tip toe into my brother's room. He is sound asleep, I know he can't hear me, but I take extra precaution.

I slip the large breastplate on top of me, sashing it with the belt. It is heavy, but I let it weigh me down. I quickly tie the knee plates and add the shoulder pads. I apply the rest and look down at my body. I look like a man.

I take the sword off the wall and stare into it, affirming my observation.

A tear slips my eye as I look at my brother one last time. Niisan, I'm sorry I couldn't have been a better sister. I know I added to your stress. I grab the helmet and leave the room. I tiptoe through the rest of the still, quiet house and exit the door.

The moment I do, an odd energy forms in my eyes. My decision to run away caused some sort of power to form there. For the time being, I ignore it and run quickly, off down the street of the village. I find the entrance. I had never made it this far without a parent.

I take a deep breath as I exit the confines of the village. Not as a little girl. But as a man.

I continue down the road, luckily the moon lights the way for me, perhaps it did believe in me. The path seems never-ending, and I'm not sure where I'm going. But I don't waver. I continue. I continue for Niisan. I am Niisan.

A wagon of men pass by, I expect them to continue but they stop. One jumps out and stares at me. My heart beats faster. Did I look like a woman, was he going to find out?

"You an Uchiha?" He asks with a suspicious voice.

I nod my head rapidly, and try to calm my beating heart. The boys in the wagon nod to me with a friendly, but deadly glare. Were they planning on killing me?

"Heading to the battlefield?" The man asks.

I again nod sheepishly. It's only then that I remember men talk freely to one another. I had always been told to keep a closed mouth, I wasn't acting my part.

"Yes! Heading to destroy some Senjuju!" I try to deepen my voice and puff out my chest. I mentally clasp myself on the back, proud I remembered the name of the men we were fighting.

He grunts, "Senjuju, that's a good name for them. Makes it sound like a bunch of women are running their troops. Hop in."

I obey and crawl into the wagon. The straw is laden on the floor and makes me itch. How uncomfortable. I look up to the stars and the heavens, I don't know who is up there... but if there is a higher being – thank you.

I turn to look at the men in the cart. There was no doubt they were Uchiha. The trademark black hair and eyes. These men were my family. My eyes grow wide, a small boy sharpening his sword with a rock.

I know that boy.

I want to scream his name in happiness. Izuna! I have to get his attention. I suppose my intense eye contact is enough, he looks up at me. Studying my face like he doesn't quite remember me. I want to laugh, but then stop. I am a boy. My heart freezes. Oh no. Please don't recognize me, Izuna!

He stands up in the wagon and moves over to me. Shit. He offers his hand, "Hey, I'm Izuna! Finally another young boy in our ranks!"

I shake the hand, relieved, "I am... Ka-" I waver a bit trying to make up a name, "Ka-ryuu!" What a horrible name, who names their kid 'fire dragon'. I know how the military works though. All I have to say is I am a volunteer, a younger brother of my older brother and say I am fighting for our household. I know my father is so high up, he won't even see the name or think twice. Of course, I can't say this around Izuna, he'll see right through me.

"Izuna, try to keep it down, some of us are trying to sleep," Madara walks over to us with a confident frown. His brother nods and throws his hands on the back of his head.

"That's my brother, Madara, he's a sour-puss but, it's no problem, you'll get used to him. I do need to get some sleep though. We can talk in the morning, okay?" He turns onto the hay and buries his head inside.

I look down in disgust, how revolting. How many bugs were infested down there? I try to lean on the wood, but find it too hard. Be a man. I take a deep breath and join Izuna in the hay. I did need to sleep a bit tonight. I wait for my hair to fall onto my face. Then I remember it's not there anymore. I put my hand on my chest and feel the breastplate. I'm not there anymore.

"Ka-ryuu! Wake up! You're new so you need to register," I feel a kick to my chest. I look up to find Izuna giggling to himself. Did he just kick me?

I grudgingly shift my body and stand up, looking around. Madara comes over and picks a piece of straw out of my hair, giving me a suspicious glance. I shake my head violently and throw the rest of the pieces out. Act like a man.

I hop down out of the cart and head to the registration table. I make sure Madara and Izuna don't follow me. I stand before the man at the front.

"Name?" He asks in an inpatient manner.

"Ka-ryuu Uchiha... I am the younger brother of Yashiro Uchiha. I am here in place of him, for he is unable for duty."

The man grunts, "Send a kid instead of yourself... I didn't know your father had two sons..."

"He does, but I'm... I'm not my brother, he doesn't like to talk about me," I try to look down and come off as sad, in an attempt to make it look like my brother and I were rivals.

"Very well, report to training then." The man waves me off, and checks my family's name off the list. I sigh in relief. They were safe. A sword flies past me, practically nipping my cheek. Apparently I was not.

...

_Tell me what you're thinking! There will be more to come! Thanks for reading._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ** _I do not own Naruto, the universe or the characters - boy do I wish I did! :)_

_Here's the next part! I really hope you're enjoying our cross-dressing girl in her adventure! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated - I want to know YOUR feelings! _

_Alright, I'll let you get to your reading! Enjoy!_

_..._

The shock begins to calm itself, I look up and see an all too familiar face. I grip the sword at my right, and stand up. My head is swirling and I feel a bit dizzy, but I stabilize my feet and stop the motions.

"Join our training group, Ka-ryuu! My brother will teach us!" The hand stretches out to me. I take it into mine. I feel Izuna's strong grip once more.

"How is your brother teaching?" I ask. Madara is still young, surely just because he had the Sharingan now, didn't mean he would jump in rank? Or would it?

"Madara is an officer, and our father trusts him to keep us in top condition," Izuna bounces happily as we make our way over. I smile, he's so full of light.

The loud chinks of the swords sound loudly as a pair of boys practice. Madara folds his arms and watches over them. Something about his eyes seems different though, they're red... but I must be too far away to see.

The boy on the left sweeps his foot around his partner's and kicks it back, causing the latter to fall. The stronger one takes his sword as his opponent attempts a reversal, but is blocked by a blade.

"Dead." Madara's voice calls out as he drops his arms and walks over.

"Gah! Unfair! He was using a special sword and -"

"Right... and the Senju can't have special swords? The Senju can't counter our attacks? The Senju can't kill us? If this was a real battle, you would have just become a casualty."

The loser of the battle pouts as he stares at his smirking opponent.

"Thirty laps, and kitchen duty tonight. Go." Madara turns to face the winner of the battle. The other boy must have just gotten his punishment for losing. I watch Madara's dark eyes close in on the winner, "Ten laps, and cleaning duty."

I turn to Izuna, "Isn't he the one who won?" I don't understand why he would be getting a punishment as well.

"My brother is a tough teacher..." Both our eyes watch as Madara instructs the other boy in foot work. Madara has gotten much swifter since we had last met. Last fall. Had it really been so long ago?

"Ka-Ryuu versus Inabi," Madara's voice calling my second name almost shocks me. His eyes turn to me, like he's seeing right through my disguise. I gulp the large ball down in my throat. My palms are already starting to sweat. I pick up the sword at my side.

Here goes nothing.

"Rules are simple. Don't lose. Don't make mistakes. Anything goes, but practice with sword." Madara's words are crisp and demanding. I nod profusely. My eyes narrow with determination.

"I'm ready."

Madara nods and I stare at my opponent. Pretend he's an enemy. Destroy him. I try filling my mind with thoughts of victory and pressure. I can't lose.

"Begin!" His voice booms as I step on my heel to bash into my enemy. His sword clashes against mine, causing us both to skid back. I sweep my leg around the dirt and lunge in for a clean shot. He easily counters.

My eyes grow wide as I see something I've never seen before. Something in his feet... They are lighting up with a blue energy. I watch it grow as he uses it to step up onto me faster. Something about that blue power is making him move quicker. Could it be chakra?

I turn my sword over in my hand and brush it against his body. Instead of resisting, Inabi pushes himself forward, thrusting himself onto me. I fall backwards in retaliation. His sword begins to come down over my head as I roll to the side. I need to figure out a quick way to get back up on my feet.

An odd thought crosses before me. I close my eyes quickly and hold my hands to my chest. The odd energy is there. Breathe slowly. I focus my attention to my feet. Put your power there. Fast!

The sword swings at my head at the same moment a surge of strength flows through my veins and into my feet. I use the jump-start and kick myself up, landing on my two feet. Dodging the sword. I breathe a sigh of relief, as my body moves to its own accord dodging the oncoming blows.

I was used to this now.

I look up quickly and see Madara's eyes shifting in and out of red and black. What was he doing? I rotate my hands as I prop the sword down at my side and whip myself around it, landing a kick into Inabi's face. He flies back holding his nose.

A smirk creeps on my confident mug.

"Woah! Killer kick Ka-ryuu! Finish him!" Izuna cheers me on, with a strong intensity in his eyes. I giggle to myself. He always believes in me, even if he doesn't even know it's _me._

My entire body feels stronger. Inabi comes back, slashing his sword around angrily. I jump back rapidly.

"How are you so quick? You're just a newbie!" He yells as he tries to slit my throat. We clash the swords against each other. My arms shake as I try to hold my place. I dig my feet into the ground, planting myself so I won't move any more.

The blue energy slips to his arms and I can feel he will overpower me. His sword beats heavily down on mine. Sweat starts to drip down the back of my neck, and it's taking more energy to just slow down my breathing and stay calm.

He grunts loudly and the sword flings out of my hand, landing in a sticky black barrel. My eyes grow wide with fear. I can't protect myself now.

I lower my breath and place my feet again. For some reason I can watch the man's energy, and sense the other's energy around me. I still don't quite know what Madara is doing with his eyes. All his energy is cooped up there at the moment.

The fresh spring air bellows into my stomach as I breathe deeply. I place my footing in between Inabi's as I duck under another reckless swing. He hops around my planted body as I swoop in underneath his legs. I quickly flip myself onto my feet and run for the barrel.

A quick metal object darts by my face. But it's not a sword. I study it quickly as it lays in the dirt. It's like a knife, but it's sharpened for speed and pinpointing. Another flies by. I whip my head around and see Inabi charging at me, sword cocked, but other hand flinging these knives.

My feet fly quickly on the ground as I whip my sword out of the goo. It smells repulsive, and drips with the black stuff as if it were blood. I run my finger along it. My brain quickly runs through the possibilities of the substance. Would it be lethal? Would I kill my opponent?

My nose scrunches as I take one more quick whiff. This time I am certain I know what it is. Oil.

Without thinking my hands dart up and I am forming the signs once more. I can practically feel Izuna's hands guiding mine. The energy rushes into me and my lungs get hot as I spit the fire out and ignite the sword. It's a bit larger then the time I practiced it with Izuna. The heat warms my cheeks almost immediately.

Inabi stops rapidly right before reaching the tip of my now flaming sword. His eyes are wide. My inner-self is cheering jubilantly. I am going to win.

We clash swords once more, but the fire is growing hot. It practically nips Inabi every time. Now he can't be so reckless. He needs to be cautious of the flame. I summon my energy once more, but I find it a bit depleted. So I can't just spit fire willy-nilly? I shake my head. Now isn't the time for ninja-body-theory lessons.

I flash the flamed sword before his eyes as a distraction. I cast a quick glance on Madara to see his reaction. To see if he has already figured out my plan. He has a soft grin and raised eyebrow, as he watches me sneak behind my opponent. I delete the flames from the sword, leaving only the original hot metal as I wrap it around Inabi's neck. If I pulled the sword back towards me...

"Dead! Ka-ryuu wins." Madara's voice is music to my ears. I plop to the ground, breathing heavily. The adrenaline must have kept me going through most of that. The chakra of my body is practically gone. My strong cousin walks over to us, his power alone is threatening. Izuna was right, something has changed in him.

He flashes the red eyes away before I can see them up close. He shakes his head as he nears Inabi, "You lost to a brand new recruit. Forty laps, and... bathroom duty."

Inabi's mouth drops and his eyes glower at me, "I didn't know he'd be that good! I was going easy! Bathroom duty?! This is -"

A quick flash of black shakes our surroundings. I gasp as the now-much closer Madara leans into Inabi's face, sword cocked and knife at the ready. Not only was he fast... he was also deadly. My heart beats as I read the mood of this situation. This odd feeling. I can see Madara's energy, it's so cold.

"Do not undermine me. My word is final."

His tongue is so sharp. I look down at my hand, now covered in fresh blood. I had stabbed myself in fear. My cousin's movement was so sudden. My left arm continues to shake. I've never seen my cousin so distant. So dark.

His eyes narrow down towards mine. Fear rides down my spine. What will my punishment be? He moves his hand down towards me. True terror is now my only feeling. My cousin must be angry. He is going to kill me. I want to scream out the truth. Who I am. He wouldn't kill me then... would he?

"Good job," I let out a yelp in surprise, as I try to cover it with a cough. The reality I had created for his answer now shatters my original thoughts. His voice is so soft now, so gentle. His hand is still lowered as he holds it out to me. I take it and grip it to stand, "You've impressed me... which is hard to do. But let this be your warning, now I have my eyes on you. Don't disappoint me. You're very nimble, and I can already tell your strengths are in your mind, flexibility, and legs. Your arms however are very weak." He moves his finger up to his lip, "Soldier Izuna!"

Izuna stands up and runs obediently to his brother, his posture is straight. They show no signs of shared blood anymore... it seems odd for the pair.

"Take Soldier Ka-ryuu and train him in upper body. I also want him to train in stamina. Make it happen, Soldier Izuna."

"Hai!" Izuna nods stiffly as his brother passes and leaves us alone. We wait a few moments and watch as Madara turns into a small black dot at the end of the encampment.

I turn cockily to Izuna, "So when do we get to kick some Senju-butt?"

Izuna laughs as he pats me on the back, "You're no where near ready man! I have been training for a few years now. If anyone's ready it's me!"

I roll my eyes, "You're pretty confident there aren't you?"

"Pff! Yea! I'm Izuna Uchiha!" His smile widens as he clasps his chest.

"Your name means nothing to me," I turn around and try and hide my wide grin as I play with his head.

I can hear his shock as his smile grows into a grimace, "Gah! You know what just for that I'm making you do a harder exercise! Follow me!"

He takes off in the direction of a hill. I quickly tag behind him.

"Faster!" He yells as he picks up the pace, leaving a small cloud of dust behind him.

How did he? I quickly start to jog up and follow behind him. I can hear his laughing from all the way back here. Little jerk!

The path he chose is littered with tents and older men. I duck around one carrying a large tray of food. I hop over a group of them playing cards. Dodging the tents and their stakes is getting more difficult as Izuna taunts me from afar. My chest starts burning and I can feel my sides aching out in pain as I pant for sweet relief. But I can't give up, not yet.

Once again I pick up the pace, placing a small amount of chakra in my feet. I was getting the hang of this. Quickly, the little black dot becomes nearer and nearer. I go for a short burst of energy at the very end as I near Izuna. I can almost grab the back of his shirt.

A smile creeps onto my face as I reach out to get his neckband. He's about to hit the mountain anyways.

"Gotcha!" I yell as I stretch to grab the shirt. My eyes flash forward as he disappears and I fall down to eat the earth.

I cough as I sit up, brushing the dirt and rocks off of my body. I stare around me. Where did he go? A rock drops on my head. I look up at a smirking Izuna standing perfectly on the rocks.

"Hey! How did you do that?!" I yell up at him. I can see my answer, but I know it's hopeless. He has his chakra stream going directly towards his feet to hold him. Either my chakra is too weak at the moment or that move takes too much skill... in any sense it's hopeless.

"Hehe, just try one of these... they're called Hyourougan," He tosses down a round brown pill. I roll it around in my fingers. Would it restore my chakra? Or is it a trick...

Izuna crosses down a bit to watch my reaction. I wonder if I could just take his chakra, that'd be easier. I stare up momentarily and catch a glimpse of his ankle. Worth a try.

I crush the pill and let the powder fall to the ground as my other hand reaches for Izuna. I suppress my chakra to my hand as I use the power to leak out Izuna's. The new chakra seeps into me and I feel my power being restored.

"Hey! Don't steal my chakra!" He yells as he kicks me back. Izuna turns to scale the wall again. This time I'll join him!

I place the new chakra down in my feet and revel in the new wave of energy. My feet plant on the rock and start to reach and climb up. Quickly placing one foot in front of the other. I grab a rock in front of me for quick support. But it seems weak.

It breaks off and I start falling. My feet are still planted but now I spread out, I can see up my legs, but my shirt flops down over my head.

I hear a roar of laughter from Izuna. But I gasp, the bandages! He'll see them! I quickly try and scurry to pull the shirt down and regain my confidence. In doing so, I accidentally sever the chakra flow to my feet. I look down in fear as I start to fall. I wasn't too far up, but a fall from here would be dangerous.

Panic strikes me and exaggerates my thoughts. I'm going to die! My body shakes and I get overwhelmed with emotion. A hand grabs my waist tightly.

I cough out. I continue to shake. The ground isn't moving up around me anymore... my heart beat starts to flow again as I assume I am once more safe. I turn my head and find Izuna breathing heavily. He pulls me up to the top of the hill. Climbing it with very little chakra, mostly only raw strength.

My body is tossed down on the top of the cliff as he falls to the ground and pants heavily. He had just saved my life.

I roll off of him and look away. Thank you, cousin. Thank you so much. I hear him stand up and move away.

"Well... that took a lot of chakra. Oh, thanks by the way, for depleting my source and wasting my last Hyourougan! Yea, thanks a lot."

"Well what did you want to do here anyways?" I ask annoyed.

"We were going to train! But you had to go and fall! Why didn't you tell my brother you were a chakra leecher? That would have changed things – it makes up for your lack of stamina. And then we would have had a different exercise!"

"I didn't know I could do that! I thought everyone could!"

"No! It's a special ability! Jeez! Where did you learn your ninja stuff from? You're clueless!"

"I learned it from yo-" I stop as I catch myself, "I learned it from my father, but he's been on the field most of the time."

I watch Izuna grumble as he seems to accept my answer. He moves to a far side of the cliff. It was rather jagged, and not very stable. I study the rocks as I play with them in my hands, they could crumble at any moment. But the view is nice.

I stare down at the nice little organized tents, there's a large forest to the right and the left, and then more mountains. I strain my eyes as I try to catch a glimpse of the Senju camp or at least the battlefield. But no such luck. We must be pretty far from them.

I hear the movement of the ground shake at my feet, and then a loud scream. Izuna! The rocks tumble downwards toward the forest. I rush over to grab him, but I don't see him. I stare down in terror. He's already half way towards the ground.

"Izuna!" I screech as I jump down to save him. As my feet leave the ground I finally realize a flaw in my plan. I have no idea what I am doing. This was a horrible idea.

I rack my mind for what to do, I need to get to him. Quickly. I scrunch my nose, there's so much I don't know about this chakra. But I have to do what I can!

My face points upwards as I spit out a cloud of fire to propel myself downwards. I swish my arms around, looking for Izuna. A rock jabs me in the face as I grab the top of his hair. My fire extinguishes. I thrust myself into the wall of rock as Izuna clings to my back.

I grab with the little chakra I have left and hastily latch onto any rock that will hold. But none will, they're so weak. I have to break our landing!

I shove myself into the rocks as they scratch and cut my skin. I reposition Izuna's hands, so they stay put and then reach my arms out, dragging the stones down with me. But we're slowing down. I turn sideways as the bottom nears us.

The world ceases from me and it all becomes black.

I can't remember if we hit the bottom or not. I'm not even sure if we're dead or not. My body is not in my control. It feels so weak, and heavy. I can feel my mind leaving me too... only leaving an empty and thoughtless shell. The shell of Kasura.

Sniff. Sniff. Drop. Drop.

My eyes are still glued shut, but a little bit of my mind is coming to me once more. Perhaps my journey from one world to another is complete.

"Ka-ryuu don't die! Please come back!" I can hear faint yelling. My body is still numb though. "We didn't know each other that long, but you're one of my only friends!" There's a bit of coughing and it sounds like a little bit of sobbing as well. "Don't leave!"

My arms start to vibrate a little bit. Like my body is going into restart. I feel warm water drip down my cheeks. Slowly I flash an eyelash, but the eye droops back shut. I try again and look up towards me.

"Izu-?" I can hardly form the words, my voice covered with rasp. I am tackled into his arms. I can hear him trying to say something but it is muffled by his head in my hair. I happily wrap my arms back around him. I am so happy you're okay Izuna. His puffy face pulls back and stares at me. His eyes are deep red from emotion and I can finally assess his damage. There are cuts and bruises littering his body, I reach up to massage one but he speaks before I can.

"Ka-ryuu I thought you were dead! I am so... sorry..." He pulls back and whips his face, killing the tears.

I can't help it... even though I feel weak and destroyed, I giggle, "Were you crying?"

His face lights up and gets defensive, "I most certainly was NOT crying! Liar!" He points a finger at me and I push it out of my face.

"Sure."

"Ack! Don't make fun of me! You're a jerk! Who goes jumping off cliffs to save someone? I would have been fine if you hadn't jumped off you know!"

"Oh yea... then you'd be splattered on the ground, perfectly fine."

Izuna sighs and twitches his eyebrow once more. He turns away and folds his hands on the back of his head.

"Yea, well, thanks..."

"You're welcome Izuna." I smile warmly. My entire body feels drained and sore. It's hard to move. I attempt to stand, but find it nearly impossible. I place my hand next to me, but it crumbles under the pressure and I fall back down. Izuna comes over to pick me up.

"You can't walk?" He asks, touching my body. I remember my secrets and swat his hands away.

"I can, I just need some help," I try to convince him I'm alright and he lifts me over onto him, wrapping my arm around his shoulder.

He stares up at the sky, "We need to head back, it's getting late... and we both need to be looked at by a doctor."

I shake my head rapidly, "We're both fine, we just need to some sleep and a meal – no medical attention!"

"Are you kidding?"

I tense up the air is weird, "Shh!" I throw my body off of Izuna's and thrust him and me under one of the fallen rocks. I press my back onto it and tuck my legs to my chest.

"What's wrong Ka-ryuu?" I cover his mouth as I close my eyes tightly. All around us. There was a large strong chakra. Many people... but not Uchihas. No, I was positive they were not our blood. I hold my hands tightly as I try to read the characters. My heart jumps as they move closer.

"Senju," I mouth to Izuna. His eyes grow wide. We both know we are in no state to fight. He tucks in closer to me. We need to stay quiet. I try to swallow my fear as the chakra swarm moves closer to us.

One character appears in front of our rock.

"I can sense some people over here, Hashirama!" A boy's voice bellows out.

Izuna furrows his brow, "Tobirama," is all I can read on his lips.

"Brother, let it be, we're just searching for a good entry... we're not attacking till later. Besides your sensing needs work – it's probably only animals you sense."

The other boy humphs in annoyance and turns to follow his brother. The two chakra clouds leave to join the large. So the one boy could read chakras too. I stare at Izuna, who is clenching his fists and shutting his eyes.

I stroke his cheek and he stares at me. Trying to figure something out in his mind. I quickly take my hand away... we were supposed to be two guys. I blush and he stares downward.

Nice one, Kasura.

I feel the chakra cloud dispersing. They are walking the opposite direction from our camp. Which will buy us time. We need to return the message.

The large group is around five kilometers away. I grab Izuna's hand and we leave the stone.

"I don't have a lot of chakra to keep sensing Izuna, so we need to stay quiet. Are we close to the camp?"

"Yea, we have a secret passageway not too far from here."

I limp on my beat up leg as I attempt to move quickly through the forest. I look to my right, surprised, when Izuna wraps my arm around his shoulder again. I smile to myself as we move quicker. We pass the placid rocks and turn swiftly into a dipped corner.

Izuna stands before a large rock. He forms several hand signs as I keep guard. Sensing for the Senju. Izuna nods to me and we head in, sealing the rock behind us. We breathe a sigh of relief.

We walk quickly through the carved cliff and down a deep set of passageways. I pass a large room, and peak in. Izuna stops and turns to me, "Ka-ryuu we need to hurry up and get our wounds dressed and talk about the battle plans of -" He stops and follows my questioning eyes, "Oh, that's our family's tablet. I can't read it yet, only Madara... once I get my Sharingan I'll understand it!" He smiles widely at me and I share in his joy.

I lean on a pillar and stare at him. He nods, understanding the need for a break.

"So tell me, how did you know those people back there?"

His eyes look up, surprised, "I never told you I knew them!"

"Well, it wasn't that hard to read off you..."

"You can read chakra too... you're pretty special you know?"

I shrug, "I don't know. I'm new to all this."

Izuna breathes in, "Those two... well, I remember following Madara, he was good friends with the older one, Hashirama. But Hashirama's little brother was the sensor one – I didn't know he could do that. That's good information. But anyways, we fought one day, and Madara and Hashirama stopped us both." He pauses a minute, "I was pretty ready for the fight, but there was something weird about Tobirama... like he wasn't the usual Senju... he wanted my blood, badly. But I'll never forgive the Senju."

"Why not?" I ask nonchalantly.

He stares at me with these large angry eyes, "They've killed my brothers..."

My mouth drops open. What? It can't be. My other cousins... I was always told they were busy fighting. They can't be dead! Why would no one tell me?! "That can't be true!" I retort, a little more emotional then I should be. He doesn't know I know who he's talking about.

The sweet little brothers. The innocent little boys. Now dead? I am still shocked.

"Madara has vowed to protect me, and I've vowed to protect him... he's my only brother left." I see the sadness in Izuna's face. I want to hug him, to tell him it's alright. But I can't.

Think like a guy... "No worries!" I say, smiling, "You've got two brothers looking out for you now! I'll never let you get hurt Izuna!"

Izuna stares at me for a moment, and then lets a smile form, "I'm counting on you. But I won't let you get hurt either! We'll both get stronger together!"

"We'll be the best in the clan!" I grin widely.

Izuna stands up, "Yes! You, me, and Madara! All of us together! We'll lead our family to victory!" He laughs as he slides back down. We sit like that a while. I've never had a relationship like this with someone.

We pump fists against each other and head back out, exiting the tunnel. We walk slowly through the encampment, accepting the stares from the older men. We turn into a large opening and head into the large meeting tent in the center. Madara is sitting near the front by his father, an empty seat left next to him.

His eyes are closed as he calls out to us, "Izuna you're la-" His eyes open and stare at his wounded brother. They grow wide. He rushes from around the table, leaving our leaders to stare at the scene.

Madara rubs Izuna's face, as he tries to push away, "We were just training when... I... fell off the cliff and -"

"You FELL off the cliff! Izuna! How dare you be so reckless! Do you think you're a young child anymore! You're almost thirteen years old, be more careful! You need to go to the doctor! Do you understand how terrible it would be if you died! I can't understand..."

"The Senju are coming here," I speak out, interrupting Izuna's scolding. Madara stares at me, and the attention of the elders' shifts to me as well.

"How do you know?" He asks with a suspicious voice.

"When we fell, I had sensed a large wave of chakra not too far from us. Sure enough the Senju were coming for our encampment. So far they've headed west, five Kilometers from the cliff. Izuna was able to recognize a Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju. The Tobirama one, with sensing abilities... but not on-Paar with -"

"Hashirama?" Madara asks loudly turning to Izuna.

Izuna looks down and nods.

Madara pushes his palm to his forehead as he sighs, "Fine. You and Soldier Ka-ryuu get some rest and your wounds treated. Gather our squad and keep them on the outskirts, no need for them to become casualties yet. Ka-ryuu, you're a tracker, huh? When this 'ambush' begins I want you and Izuna by my side... we're going to gather information."

I turn to Izuna and nod. Madara really was a leader. He turns back to the table of Elders.

"We need to form our battle plan, we'll need to set up a formation of secondaries and," he turns and sees us still standing there, "Go! And heal! Wait for my call!"

We nod quickly and leave. Izuna breaks the silence, "I don't know what's up his ass today. He always gets so emotional whenever someone mentions Hashirama."

I laugh a bit, "When _isn't _he emotional?"

Izuna stops, "You don't know him! Don't talk about my brother that way!"

I bite my lip and shift my feet a bit. But I do know your brother.

I shake my head and decide to do some quick damage control, "But I thought we were both teaming up here... so only you can make fun of him?"

"That's right! Only me!" He grins. Well at least he's smiling. I don't want Izuna mad at me. I sneak a glance at him through the corner of my eyes. What was this that I feel for him? This is all new...

We open the flap of the medical tent and duck in. There doesn't seem to be anyone inside. Just a few empty beds. Izuna waves to a little old man sleeping on his chair.

The old man snorts and stands up. He grabs his cane and waddles over to us. His eyes droop a bit and he scratches his chin, looking us both over.

"Pick up your shirt, boy!" He yells, poking my sore chest.

I cringe a bit and turn to Izuna with begging eyes. I lean in and whisper in a pretend-embarrassed voice, "I have weird scars there... I don't want to show anyone."

Izuna nods respectively, "Yea, he can't... We have more outside wounds like our arms."

I smile as thanks. It was getting hard to keep up this lie. And what is my family thinking? I had been gone for a few days now. Either they were worried sick, or weren't sure what to do. I hope my brother covers for me.

The old man lays Izuna on a bed and starts to bring a greenish chakra to his hands. Izuna sits up in protest, "No! Ka-ryuu first! He's more injured then me!"

The old man nods and moves to my body. He lifts my arm and wraps a tight bandage around it, cutting off its circulation. Then he uses the green chakra to seal the skin back together. I feel my energy restoring.

He places a warm pad on my cheek and starts wiping away the dirt. He sets a frothy soup in front of me and I sip it quickly. My hunger rearing its head in. I can't believe I had forgotten to eat the entire day.

The old man goes over to Izuna and strokes his hair a bit, before getting to work. I look at some of the small cuts that were once on my hands... now gone. The green chakra really does some magic.

"Why is there only one of you?" I ask to the man. He doesn't look up from Izuna's body as he hand feeds the broth.

"The Senju are smart. We're the first they take out." The old man chuckles, "I've already lost many a friend to them. So I enjoy healing you boys up to go get your revenge."

I move to the side of the bed, now feeling no pain at all. I walk over to Izuna and stare at the old man.

"Can I help?" I ask.

The man snorts, "I don't know kid... you can try – focus your chakra into your palms and try to weave the skin of that cut back together."

I look at the small scrape. How easy. I focus my chakra to my hands and near my finger tips. I let it seep into Izuna and try weaving it but the path of the chakra only splatters out of control. I can't seem to change the flow, it comes out blue, and not green like the other man's. I furrow my brow in concentration.

"Haha, it takes a lot of chakra control to do this sonny, you can't get it right off the bat."

Izuna looks up to both of us, "Besides, you're a sensor, just do your sensing thing!"

"Oh, how rare!" The old man smiles to us both. It reminds me of my grandfather, before he left us. He whips Izuna's forehead.

A loud gong signs shattering through all of our spines.

Izuna and I share a look. The Senju were here. Early.

Izuna shakes off the old man and grabs a handful of the black pills, he pops one to me, "We'll need max chakra. Come on Ka-ryuu, we need to find my brother!"

"We need to tell the new recruits to stay back, I thought!"

"Too late! Hurry up!"

I look back behind me one last time. Real battle. No going back. We find Madara through the hoards of rushing men, as he tosses us our armor and we quickly lace it on. He gives me a sword.

"Only for protection. Stay by me, and let me know who's who and where they are."

I gulp down the nervousness in my throat. I don't even dare to mention I just learned how to do this today... I follow quickly behind Madara as a wave of opposing Senju chakra washes over us. What a power!

...

_I'm working quickly on the next part! I hope you guys are enjoying! ^ - ^_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own Naruto. ;D_

_Enjoy!_

_..._

The horrific screams fill the air. I can catch the blood flying from the mutilated bodies, out of the corner of my eye. I don't even venture to look in full. I focus on the ground, falling behind Madara's swift feet. Izuna is at my right.

I steady my breathing. This is what happens in war. This is what the men do.

The grass is littered with fresh red dew drops. I halt as a man's lifeless corpse falls to my left. My lips tremble and I move quickly behind Madara once more. I almost want to just hold him.

My eyes ignore my brain's pleading and instinctively turn to the battlefield. I see the men I was training with earlier. They charge in, swords at the ready as they are easily slashed down by the Senju. The chakra swarm is enormous, both of the clans together.

Large fire balls are being lobbed at the oncoming army, and in turn wind currents are being sent in as well. The Senju have an ability with trees too. As an Uchiha is about to lob his fire, a Senju spawns a Fir to block the blow. Everything is red and orange, like a nightmare. People are falling to their own fire. It's almost a lost battle. A hand grips mine and I freeze in fear.

"Ka-ryuu come on!"

The world starts spinning. So much death. So much blood. The smell is drifting into my nose and taunting me. I hear Izuna's calming voice among the commotion. I walk slowly the world turning foggy.

My stomach is forming knots inside of me. I have nothing to bring up, but a little broth. My head throbs. I can't be here.

"What is his problem! Snap out of it Soldier!" Madara's strong voice hits me almost as hard as the back of his hand.

I fall to the ground, my cheek throbbing with impact. I stare up to the owner. Madara hit me. Tears automatically well up to my eyes. There was so much emotion here. The screams alone. The screams of grown men! I have to find my inner strength. Everything has been stripped of me.

I rub my cheek and extinguish the tears. The least I can do is make sure those screams don't come from my family. I stand stiffly before Madara.

"Find me Hashirama and Tobirama Senju..."

Izuna looks at me, with caring eyes. He stands at the ready, his hand on his sword. Madara guards my front. I hold my hands to my chest.

I have no idea how to pick out specific people from a crowd. But logically speaking, since Tobirama was also a sensor I can assume he will also have a hoard by him. And of course, since they are both younger they will be nearer to the back lines.

I begin my search there. There's a strong chakra among them – but it can't belong to a child could it? I try honing in on it. Why was it so strong?

I hear the large cling of a sword not too far from my head. I jitterly drop my hands in retaliation.

"We've gotcha Ka-ryuu! Just do your thing!" Izuna calls out as he breaks a blow over his head with his own sword. Madara skillfully flips his in the air, giving him enough time to speed around his opponent and strike from behind.

I try to reassure myself. With these two, I am safe. They won't let anything happen.

I press my hands to myself once more. Following this yellowish chakra. There are two pools of it from two different people - meaning they must share blood. I strain myself trying to catch a glimpse of their faces. Their chakra... it's the same as the two in the forest.

My eyes grow wide. That strong chakra _is_ Hashirama and Tobirama. I feel the Uchiha forces being overwhelmed by the Senju ambush. Madara's energy is almost turning a different color. It's turning cold and dark, something tells me, though, it won't be enough to defeat this strong yellow one.

But I have to follow orders, "I found them!"

Madara stops everything and turns to me. For the first time I can see the red eyes up close, with two little commas around the pupil. Izuna smiles as he pulls his sword out of a bleeding man with no chance of standing once more, "Ah, the glory of the Sharingan!"

I stare once more at Madara's eyes but he flashes them off. The Sharingan... what did it do? I know my eyes can't do that.

He grabs my wrist tightly, "Take me to them."

His eyes. My arms tense, and my body shakes. I nod slowly. What was my cousin?

I pick myself up, and Madara steps in front of me, "Direct me!" He falls out, cutting his sword through the bodies of men. I step quickly behind him. The dismembered limbs falling to my right and left as Madara quickly slashes through the crowd.

I feel my stomach knotting again and I become nauseous. The chakra picks up.

"Madara! Right!" I call out.

A gong sings. I stare around. Who's was it? The battlefield is repulsive, littered with bodies, some moaning, some eerily silent.

"Senju retreat!" A man calls out. The Senju group starts backing up. But why? I read the chakra once more. They were winning. I watch them pick up the crying bodies of the Uchiha and carry them back to their territory.

Madara's eyes grow wide, "Lines fall in! Don't let them take your brothers! Continue!" The rest of the standing Uchiha run towards the Senju fighting with their sharpened metal until they can retrieve the fallen Uchiha. Did the Senju plan on using them as prisoners? Madara turns sharply to me, "Don't let Tobirama and Hashirama get away. Lead in."

Lead? I don't question him aloud but my head is screaming with bad thoughts. I quickly run through the crowd, dodging the laying bodies. I close my eyes and feel the chakra as I continue running. All I care about is that yellow one. That yellow chakra.

A hand grabs me. I stop in shock until I assume it's only Izuna. But as I open my eyes. A smirking man stares back at me. With white hair and lowered eyes.

"Izuna! Help!" I scream as I try to pull my sword out. My heart is practically jumping out of me. He's a Senju. He's the real enemy. They're going to kill me. I. Will. Die.

I shake my head as I attempt to suck out his chakra through my body. He jumps back realizing my power. I stand before him, noticing the group of Senju growing larger. They circle me. I count four in front and assume three in back. I grab my sword.

"So the Uchiha got a sensor? Too bad it's just a kid," one man laughs maliciously. I scrunch my nose. Who will strike first?

I breath deep in my lungs as I form my hand signs.

"Fire, look out!"

How did they know my attacks already? I decide to make it imperfect. I can sense Izuna running up behind me. I cough as the imperfect fire ball comes out, scratching my throat. It smokes wildly, creating a haze around the area. Everyone starts coughing as the fumes reach us all. I drop to the ground and start crawling. The smoke rises, like heat, the best place to be is as low as you can.

I move quickly on my elbows, only to have someone grab my foot. I turn to attack but find wood shooting out of the ground and latching on to me. I squirm, but the wood is too strong. It binds into my arms and legs, cutting me off.

The butt of a sword beats down from an unseen hand and bludgeons my temple. The blood drips down and I can taste it on my lips. The world starts departing once more. No. I need to get out of this wood coffin!

The man with the white hair stands in front of me. He smirks as he lands a punch to my jaw. I move my sore tongue around. My body was already going numb... what more could happen?

I feel a large rock in my mouth. No. It was a tooth. The white-haired man leans into me saying something that I can hear through the throbbing of my head.

I furrow my brow and spit at him. Letting the tooth hit his face and smear down with my red blood. He yells something and looks at me with these dark eyes.

The Senju. The evil clan.

I take one last survey of the area. I spot Madara and Izuna. I want to call out to them. I need them to help me. Izuna is crying so hard his eyes have seemed to have turned red and he's yelling loudly as Madara holds him down and shakes his head. Were they not going to save me? Why are they abandoning me? Something warm runs down my cheek. Maybe it's blood.

The white haired man lands another blow and that's all I need. My body gives in. My eyesight departs... everything is moving slower than I expect. Yellow dots blur my vision and its as if I'm walking through a tunnel and the walls are eating up on me. I can only see the dark sky, and then the yellow covers it, blinding me from the world. I feel something soft getting tied around my eyes. They lift me into a wagon of sorts, or so I assume. There's a calming bumpiness to the road.

Feelings come back to me, but I can't do it anymore. Every part of me gives in. Including my mind. My lower body feels heavy, like stumps, and my upper body is light as if it aches to fly above it all. I close my eyes willingly and let my energy rest. There's no more I can do.

Slowly, I feel my body coming back once more, a little stronger this time. But not much. What had happened? I nod to myself. Izuna had fallen off the cliff and I had saved him. He was here to wake up with me. I flutter my eyelashes as I begin to conquer the strength of their heaviness.

I look up to a dark ceiling of rock. I grudgingly turn my head to the left. Rock. To the right. Rock. Maybe I was dead... and I was buried in a stone coffin. Would Izuna be there for me?

No, I wasn't important enough for a stone coffin. I lift my head. My body burns, like I had been caught in a fire ball. I look at my legs, still covered in the armor. The horrible reality thrusting itself on to me.

I attempt to wiggle my hands but find them wound tightly. I can't even roll my wrists. My stomach heaves for unwarranted reasons. The scent of the hole stings my nose... blood, vomit... urine. A shiver runs down my spine. Perhaps out of fear, but the air is drafty too. I can hear small drops of water dripping from a crevice in the wall, and then footsteps become louder. Someone was coming!

"We took your blindfold off, we figured out pretty early you don't have the Sharingan."

I stare up. A young boy, around Madara's age. He smiles at me, it almost seems friendly. It reminds me of my cousins... And then I remember what happened. I was his prisoner. He was a Senju.

I angrily sit up, ignoring my pain, "How dare you capture me! Wait till my cousin finds out! Madara will rip you to pieces!"

I attempt to rip my hands but it's hopeless, my energy is drained. The boy with the brown hair's eyes light up as he stares at me. A blue shirt sleeve appears in the corner. It moves, revealing the white haired man. He smirks at me as before. I want to rip his head off.

"Oh this is too good to be true... Madara is your cousin?" He laughs wildly, "We'll have him here in no time."

"What are you planning Tobirama?"

That name! My eyes light up. The chakra _was_ coming from these two! And that means this boy with the brown hair is Hashirama... the one Madara hates.

He grunts, "We'll get Madara here. We'll send a message saying we've got his beloved cousin... what's your name?"

"Ka..." I pause. Madara wouldn't come here for Ka-ryuu. They weren't cousins. But he would come here for Kasura. And Izuna would push him thinking his best friend Ka-ryuu was here too. I open my mouth again, "Kasura."

Tobirama raises his eyebrow, "Isn't that a girl's name?" He grunts to himself, like it was a joke, "Nonetheless, your cousin will have a nasty surprise when we get him here. And the best part is, you can't do anything about it."

"Brother, don't be so cruel."

Tobirama scoffs, "Don't be so cruel?! What do you think the Uchiha would be doing to us if they captured us? Giving us flowers and dancing with us? Hashirama, they'd be torturing us, starving us. There is no such thing as compassion in war!"

Hashirama stands, I don't even need to be sensing him to see his enormous chakra, "Don't take that tone with me, Tobirama." His brother bows his head and the chakra disperses. I've never seen such amazing control over one's energy, albeit, only with Madara. He motions for his brother to sit down.

"I don't need one of your lessons! I'm a realist, Hashirama!" Tobirama angrily barks, but he obediently sits down.

"I have this belief, Tobirama, it's called karma. Do you know what that is?"

His brother shakes his head.

"It's the belief that what comes around goes around. Take for example this Uchiha. If we were to be mean and hateful to him, he would in turn grow hatred against us. Then say we are captured. If we had treated him badly, he would in turn treat us badly. So moral of my moral here, treat others the way you want to be treated – because you never know when the tables will be turned."

I smile. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy. I even agreed a bit with his ideology. But then... why did Madara hate him so much?

A faint smell wafts through the air. A tall man pushes a cart past the cells. There's an Uchiha across from me hanging on the wall. He has a growing beard, and you can see his ribs poking through his chest.

I watch Hashirama bring a plate to him, filled with a brown goo. He scoops the substance and prods the man's mouth. The prisoner scowls and spits the food out.

Tobirama laughs, "Leave him brother... if he wants to starve to death then so be it. It wouldn't be a cause of our generosity."

I watch Hashirama turn from the man, almost a bit departed. I wonder why the man refused to eat anyways? It wasn't helping anyone.

I watch Hashirama walk towards me with the same bowl. I can finally see his features now, more clearly. His soft brown skin. The bright eyes. He's not bad looking, but he has a horrible, botched hair-cut. It looks awkward, but we're all only teenagers. Of course we're awkward.

He scoops into the bowl and globs of brown drip from the spoon. My brain vomits in disgust, but for once my stomach disagrees. I was starving. It seems to prove itself by growling in front of Hashirama.

He smiles, but quickly tries to cover it. I open my mouth as the clumpy mixture squeezes itself down my throat. It has no taste, unless you call revolting a taste.

"What the hell is this?" I ask. I had swallowed it all, but had I not I would spit it up too. I fully understood why the other man had refused to eat.

"Just a goulash. We make it from our leftovers."

Great. Senju leftovers will now be my feast every night. I take a deep breath. But I need that energy. I open my mouth again and he feeds me. I continue until the bowl is empty.

It was odd how close the Senju got to their prisoners. I know my hands are tied tightly, and my chakra is slowly depleting... but they were still close. I could almost nick Hashirama in the nose if I wanted. But oddly, I don't want to.

I don't have any feeling or thought of revenge or hate for him. I don't even really want to leave. It's like, I don't have to. I shake my head, it's filled with thoughts I don't understand.

With the threat of my mind wandering now quenched, my eyes slowly lull in and out of sleep. There's nothing else to do. No. There's nothing to do when you're a prisoner.

The time goes quick and slow. If you think about it, it goes slowly – painfully slowly. But if you ignore it, it almost seems to fly. But then you think about it, and it goes slow. It's a horrible cycle.

I can hear some of the Uchiha. Most of them moan in pain. The other day I had watched Tobirama wheel out someone who had died. He had no bandages and his clothes were soaked in blood. Like he was just plopped off the battlefield and stuck here. It left an solemn feeling in me.

This morning, some of the older Senju men came around. One had talked to Hashirama and Tobirama for a moment, before barging into someone's cell and asking millions of questions about our military. I tried to cover my head in the dirt, but I could still hear everything as they tore out his teeth. One ripping crunch after another.

I squeeze my eyes shut trying to force the memory away. My body still shivers from the coldness. I huddle into my corner. Just sleep... let time take its course.

I hear the bang of keys, and the squeaking of the metal as my cell door opens. Tobirama squints at me, as if to see if I will dare speak. He throws a bowl of mush at my feet, most of which spills over onto the floor.

Slowly, I crawl over to it on my knees as Tobirama locks the gate once more. I lean my head down, my growing hair dipping its longest end in the brown slosh. My tongue nips at the food. I've never been so hungry. The food is horrible, in every way. No taste. No substance. It just leaves you more hungry. But I need it.

We only get fed once a day, I caught onto that pretty quick. My eyes light up as I spot a small slab of meat floating to the top. I thirstily pounce on it. Ravishing in the flavor of meat as I tear it to pieces like a dog and let it slip down my throat. I savagely lap up the rest of the food. So hungry.

I lick the bowl clean and stare down as my lip starts to tremble. The quick satisfaction from the food now gone. What was I? Was I an untamed animal? I sniff as my nose begins to run. My eyes welling with tears as I stare at what I've been reduced too. What I've succumbed too.

My breathing starts to grow rapidly. I throw myself into the corner of the room as I start shaking. My crying now sings loudly. I want to go home. I want to go home.

I dig my face into my dirtied pant leg. It's hard for a girl to go about her business without her hands... because this wasn't a girl's world. This was a man's.

My crying rate rises once more as my delirious mind plays tricks on me. Images of home flash before my eyes. My mother. My grandmother... Nissan! The tears roll down my cheek. Was it worth it – did I even protect you?

I feel sharp pangs in my stomach. I moan out in pain as I fall to the ground. Letting my face rub on the sharp pebbles. I was a mess.

My pelvis shocks me, I must be reacting bad to my surroundings. It feels like a rock is sitting on top of my upper legs, crushing itself into me. I lower my breathing as I choke on my last few tears.

There's nothing else to focus on, just the pain. Of course, this makes it worse. My stomach twists and turns and my lower body keeps shooting these swords of pain into me. I've never felt anything like it before. My throat reflexes a bit.

I see the room spinning as I get more and more woozy. I blink a few times, trying to stare upwards. I feel everything boiling up inside of me.

All this pain. I'm sure most of it is emotional... but why does it feel so new, so... permanent?

I wish I could clench it, to stop my aching...

My breathing quickens again, as sweat drips from my forehead. I feel hot, like I'm burning up. My eyelashes shake as I try to gain control...

I hear a clang next to me. I look up through my misty eyes. It's a bowl of water. And a cloth.

I can't see anything else besides that. My entire being sways side to side. Is this what it feels like to be on a ship? My stomach clamps once more and I groan out.

Breathe.

A hand combs over my forehead and wipes it down. The water is cold, and satisfying. It alleviates a bit of my head pain. The hands slip something into my mouth. It rolls in my tongue, which only throbs in a drumming motion. At the mixture of my saliva it begins to dissolve leaving me with a chalky taste.

What was it? My heart seems to automatically slow. The sweat drips freely, but my mind tries to ease itself. To focus in on reality. I know it needs more time.

Relief.

That's what slipped into me.

Thank you. Thank you for the relief.

My eyes automatically shut out, forcing my body to sleep. It feels so nice. So painless. I close my eyes, awaiting peace. My toes numb. My legs numb. And my stomach gives out.

Finally my watery eyes close on the man who was helping me. Who was he? This mysterious savior.

All around me. Black creatures, monsters perhaps, dance. I watch them take the man away. Their bodies expand and contrast in a repulsive manner... mush from this afternoon spew out of their pores.

They grab my angel's shoulder. My throat clamps and I can't even let out a scream. But they spin the man around, like they're creating a bad storm. My head falls back and all I can hear is the beating of a heart. It's loud and drums ominously in my ear. Who's heart was it?

Black goo drips down on me. I look up and see the monsters, I make no reaction. I am ready for anything. They can take me anywhere. Any place is better than this hell. I watch as they tear my soul out of my lifeless body.

I stare down at the man I was. I run my hand over my own cheek. Blackness comes spewing from my face, taking away the purity. I try to wipe it away. Let her be pure. Let her be free!

But the blackness only decides to conquer me more quickly. I reach down and try to wipe the goo from her face, but upon doing so...

It's not me anymore.

It's Izuna. I look at his face, being covered in black and darkness. My heart slowly expands in my chest, like it is about to explode. Izuna. My cousin. His eyes shoot open and I tremble at their pain. These eyes, crying out tears of blood. What did it mean?

I lean my body into him and stroke his hair, "Izuna, it's okay I'm here..."

He ignores me and I watch his anger grow as his body falls deeper and deeper into despair. I hold him closely to me. Then something overcomes me. I hesitantly move forward and brush my lips onto his. The black retreats as he pulls me in further.

We were both alive. We were both okay. Izuna, I love you. I love you. I brush his hair once more as I open my eyes to his pure face. I drop my mouth in shock, and anger overcomes me. Tobirama stares back at me, smirking his evil smirk.

I wake up, suddenly gasping for air. Searching for Izuna.

"Izuna!" I call out, frantically looking around. My heart beats fast.

My stomach twists and with it so does my dream world. Izuna wasn't here. Izuna abandoned me. I was alone.

I look down, over at the bowl and the cloth. Or, I was almost alone...

My eyes widen as something wet seeps its way through me. I blush, only on instinct. What was that? Had I missed the opportunity to go through my business in the corner. No, I usually have control over my bladder.

I push my foot towards my pelvis and feel the wetness... this warmness. I pull it away and examine my bare foot. Blood.

My throat gags a bit. Was I wounded? No. Stop trying to morph the truth Kasura. You're a woman. This is what happens with women. I pick up the cloth skillfully with my foot and shove it underneath me, looking around carefully.

This would be forever.

I look at the walls carefully. Scanning over the marks I had made on it. I count them carefully. Three months. My heart sinks. Had it really only been three months so far? I try to strain my eyes through the bars of the cage. Other cells were filling. Lots of prisoners.

Why did it feel like I was being held here for an eternity? My eyes have adjusted very well to the lack of light. I can see the men flicking stones with their feet in the dirt. I lean into my favorite corner.

The smell of waste doesn't even gag me anymore. I've organized my cell and my daily schedule quite nicely. Every morning, or at least when I wake up, I do my business in the far right corner and I cover it over with some kicked up dirt... I like to think it helps the smell.

Then I crawl into my favorite corner and just listen. The idea has crossed my mind several times. To escape, but I can't do it just yet. Tobirama has quickly become the head warden. Food has been scarce and he only leaves a small dollop in the bowls.

I can hear him mumbling under his breath though, he doesn't like the Uchiha at all. The other day, I had watched him whip an old man across from me. Even when the old man called out his pleas, Tobirama continued.

The snap of the lash stung loudly in my ears. Every time I heard it, I myself, cringed in pain.

I take a deep breath and calm myself. Oddly, without having any access to my chakra I have been able to hone my sensing skill. Tobirama's cloud always comes from the right corner, meaning there must be some stairs or an exit on his end.

Hashirama only ever comes down to talk with his brother. He whispers, but I can always make out a few words depending on their chakra fluctuation. Apparently, Hashirama has grown in strength... he's slowly becoming higher in rank. There's another man who comes around later in the day, his chakra cloud is much smaller though and not an outstanding color.

No plan has come to mind, only information. But thinking about freedom always speeds things up around here, and before I know it, the clang of dinner will be on the floor.

They've stopped coming into our cells. We were told to leave the bowls by the gate and they in turn scoop a small lot out of the pot and into our dish. We only get one dish. If we break it, they put the food on the floor.

My lower body strength has grown in the excess time. I figure if I want to leave I'll need the strength... After the meal round, and I eat a small bit, I await the chakra man's leave. I've counted. I have forty minutes everyday before Tobirama comes around again.

In that time, I stand and wait in my corner. I lean on the wall, pressing the palms of my hands together as I slip down to a perfect right angle with my calf and thighs. I hold the position for five minutes, before my legs give in and I need a break.

I had tried push-ups, but my upper body can't hold itself without the help of my arms. So any upper body training is out. But, the rest of my work out goes as planned. I lay on my back and tense my body as I push myself up to my knees and then rest back down.

Then to finish off the rotation I lift my legs and hold them as long as I can without the support of the ground. It presses into my abs and gives an odd feeling. I feel proud and successful after the forty minute round, but the aching of my muscles always pushes me to give up.

But I can't give up.

I roll my pant leg up with my foot. My calves are slowly shaping themselves. I've worked on my flexibility as well. I can easily place my nose to my knee, while sitting.

I look up at Tobirama, walking by just as planned. He doesn't turn or say anything. His presence is enough to keep the strongest men quiet.

It's unpredictable what he does during this round. Sometimes he opens a cell and takes a specific man out. Other times he orders some men to work.

I would love to be switched to the work group. One of the questions that always flashes through my mind is, Why? Why had they kept me under here?

Tobirama's first few words to me ring through. He had a trap for Madara. A trap to get him to come here. Perhaps I was under here waiting for him... in the deepest and darkest cavern.

I smile. Yes, I was waiting for my knight in armor... like those stories my brother would make up to me. I was a princess captured by the barbarians.

Tobirama's chakra begins moving once more and he leaves. That's it. Without a word, without a purpose. Just leaving.

I relax my sore body on the wall. But a wave of chakra comes through again. I watch as Tobirama leads a trail of men connected together by a chain on their hands and on on their ankles.

He unlocks my cell and grabs me ruthlessly, throwing me to the sad looking men. He grabs my hands and locks me in the chain. My foot is wrapped with a heavy chain as well and a ball, making it hard to walk.

I look in front of me as I am pushed forward. The man ahead of me is too tall, and I can't see over him. I look to my left and right, trying to memorize my location. My heart races a bit. I haven't been out of that cell since I've gotten here.

Something loud splashes ahead of us. We are led through a doorway, guarded by four men on each side. We all head into a lighted room, the walls are tiled and there are lots of faucets connected together that reign highly in the room. I stare behind me, pass the few tied to me. Tobirama stands in the doorway.

The row turns as he yells, "Attention!"

Everyone straightens their posture, and I look worriedly to my left and right. The eyes of these men scream rebellion, but no one moves.

Tobirama walks in front of me. Staring into the very whites of my eyes. He pauses, and then continues assessing the line. With a flick of his finger the chains around are wrists fall off.

I sigh out in relief. I roll my wrist around for the first time. The motion is amazing to feel. I roll my shoulders next. And in that split second I take my hands to my face. Feeling it's hard skin. I look down at the dirt encrusted nails and the mud filled cracks of my skin.

The chain had left imprints on my wrist, I rub over them and feel the soreness.

"You have permission to remove your garments!" He orders as he forms a jutsu for the water. The water splashes around my feet. The other men quickly remove their trousers and shirts.

I blush in embarrassment. I've never seen a naked man before. The large flesh filled bodies step under the water as they wash off their dirt and blood. I watch it all flow down through the hole in the middle of room. It was a rather large hole.

"Are you deaf?" Tobirama yells towards me. I bite my lip in retaliation. I can't remove my clothes. But Tobirama might...

"I have scars sir... embarrassing ones. I'd rather not -"

"I don't care!" He forcefully takes the collar of my shirt and attempts to rip it off as I struggle to keep him back. He pushes me into the tiled wall.

I slide down its slippery touch and into the murky water. The men just stare as the water falls onto my fully clothed body. Soaking it.

My eyes grow wide as Tobirama comes in with a large stick, ready to baton me with it. I quickly stand and kick him in the stomach with all my strength. I know my chakra is drained. Tobirama stops and looks at the foot, almost comically, before flying back into the other side of the wall. The room wasn't too large.

His weight causes the white tiles to crack and a large crevice begins to open, breaking the pipelines. All you can hear is one small clink before the water bursts out of the pipe and rages down on Tobirama. I try to catch my breah

Men file into the room and help Tobirama back to his feet. I stare around frantically, hoping some of my people will help me. The other Uchiha's! Have they lost their fighting spirit?

"Why are you all just standing there?" I yell. These men! They were cowards. Not men. My breathing grows stronger. Why aren't they fighting? Why are they leaving me?

The water around me wraps onto my body. I stare as Tobirama manipulates it and freezes it. Sticking me in place. He walks over with his chakra cloud and stops in front of me.

"You dare, kick me? You dare, go against my will? You dare, to get your people to join your side? You -"

"Tobirama! That's enough!" I breathe a sigh of relief as Hashirama's chakra appears. He bows to his brother, "Thank you. I had been needing to talk to this Uchiha! I've heard lots of people talking about the things he knows!"

Tobirama raises his eyebrow in suspicion, but he releases me from the water prison. Hashirama grabs me and locks my hands up again. His eyes stare at me. Not cruelly. But not nicely either. He pushes me forward and we leave the tiled room. I take one look back. I see Tobirama's angry stare, and I see the men who betrayed me, one of their own.

I shake my head. Cowards.

We curve down the hallway and up a staircase. Hashirama nods to a few passerbys, but other than that he keeps quiet. We move slowly, it's as if he's giving me time to memorize my location. There are lots of rooms inside the jail, mostly cells... but also regular housing.

A young girl adorned in powdered makeup sways down the hall. Hashirama gives her a heartfelt smile and I watch as she steps thoughtfully in her sandals. I look down at my grotesque feet, prickly black hair growing down to my ankles. I used to be that girl.

The way to wherever we are going is far, soon the cells are nonexsistent and only meeting halls and training rooms are visible. The Senju palace is remarkable. It's not carved out of stone like our secret shrine. No, instead the Senju have built their fortress with brand new marble and granite. It's beautiful, with flowers and ornaments decorating the path.

We make a sharp turn, out of nowhere. He looks around with a paranoid expression. Deeming everything safe he abruptly shoves me into a room. He locks the door and turns around to stare at me.

"You're a woman."

I have to blink to distinguish between fake and real. Had he just told me I was a woman? No. All in my imagination, or? I clench my head as it tries to twist the truths around. What I wanted to think and what I knew. I start to shake as I fall to my knees.

"You are, aren't you?" Hashirama asks again, in a softer tone.

It doesn't matter. I lower my head as my jaw breaks and my tears fall. What have I done? A hand pats my shoulder as I choke on my own water.

"Just kill me now! Kill me quickly and get it over with! How did you even figure it out?" I yell out to him. My entire insides feel like they are being eaten up. His hands move to my chin and he lifts my gaze to him. He pulls something out of his shirt. It's a dried bloody towel.

"You bleed every month at the same time for five days... I told everyone it was most likely self infliction, but..."

"Ew!" I yell as he feels the bloody towel, "Do you keep those? And how do you know my entire schedule?"

"Well, I examined them, but... what? Don't look at me like that! Who's saving your life right now?"

I shake my head. What kind of sick weirdo... but had he really saved me? Is he helping me? I pause a moment, letting the memories connect themselves. This whole time, he had been keeping me safe since I am...

Are you really Madara's cousin?" He asks. I stare at that face. The warmness of it.

My breathing quickens again, but I have a little more control over myself, "Yes of course. Please," I cry out a bit, "Please, don't kill my cousin!"

He smiles as he joins me cross-legged on the floor, "Of course not, I would never kill my best friend... Can you answer some questions for me?"

I shake my head, "I don't know who told you I had information, but I don't! I was a new recruit! I -"

Hashirama puts a finger to my lip and cocks his head, "No worries. I made that up."

I shake my head as I am taken aback, "Why would you...?"

"Because... you're Madara's cousin. I would never want to do anything to hurt him, my brother is another story... But I know the bond Madara has with his family."

I laugh a bit, I don't know why. But I find it funny. He joins me with a wide grin. I love his smile.

"I have some questions for you though, like I said," he begins, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

He rolls his eyes playfully, "Dress up like a man and pretend to play soldier."

"I'm not pretending. I have jutsus, I am soldier... but, maybe it was foolish. It was the heat of the moment, and I-I did it to keep my brother safe! He's sick, and they wanted to send him out to fight. I stood a better chance then he did! He would have just-"

"You're a brave girl."

I stare up at him, suddenly channeling my inner Izuna, "I'm never giving up, Hashirama. I am going back to that battlefield, to protect my cousins and my family."

"Great. I have a plan."

I narrow my eyes. Now he was seeming too eager to help me. He was going to trick me or trap me somehow. He holds up his finger to my face.

"I won't trick you, because you're going to help me too... Just hear me out." He flashes me his forearm, revealing a tattoo with the clan symbol of the Senju, "You're going to get one of these. That way you can become a 'spy' around here-"

"Absolutely not! I would never betray my family! I-"

Hashirama's chakra fires up, he knows I can sense him. I shut my eyes tightly and quiet myself. He just wants me to listen... after some time he continues.

"Right. You wouldn't be telling us any new information, make things up, I'll make sure none of the information you give is used – since it would be false. Anyways, I know for fact that the plan of getting Madara here to save his young cousin is going as planned. He's taking his time and probably planning a full-scaled attack to free everyone. When that time comes, I will turn the other cheek and let you leave. But you need to work with us till then."

"My clan would never accept me back if they knew I was working with the Senju."

"I've thought about that, but you've lied so far about your gender – I'm sure you can spin a tale about your time here. Something along the lines of, I told them false information but in secret gathered things on them..." he purses his lips and adds with a sense of humor, "And it wouldn't be bad if you gave your clan_ false_ information... but..."

I giggle, "I have to think about it, Hashirama..." I take on a more serious tone, "Why are you really helping me? I'm sorry, but I can't just believe a Senju would do it out of friendship to an Uchiha. What's your true ambition?"

"Not so much as an ambition but as something that needs to be done. Peace needs to be spread. The Uchiha and Senju can be friends, one day, like I and a friend have dreamed, we'll have a village – with all of us together."

"So you're saying one day I can drink tee with you and Tobirama, sitting with my cousins?" I laugh cruelly at the picture. Izuna and Tobirama caught in a staring contest flaring their chakra filled nostrils. Madara looking towards that far off place, ignoring the world. And Hashirama trying to hug us all together. What a comedy.

"I would love to drink tee with you all," Hashirama smiles. He seems almost a bit naive, though he's older than me. Even I know the Senju and Uchiha can never get along. But maybe it's the child still trapped in me, because some part of me wants that to happen. I want to drink tee with them, without war or bloodshed.

I let my smile get the best of me, "Great, I plan on it then!"

Hashirama stands, "Great! We'll get your tattoo and you can have a better sleeping arrangement, and -"

"Private shower." I stare at him deeply.

He grabs my wrists and twists us down the long path towards the jails. I watch as true sunlight leaves us. Tobirama is standing in the doorway, sneering as he sees who approaches him.

"Brother, what was the meaning of this?!"

"Nothing, Tobirama. We just gathered some information, and for working so nicely with us, this young boy is allowed to bathe alone. Out of respect for his ravaged body."

"No. I make the rules here. He must bathe with the others."

Hashirama drops my hands and brushes to Tobirama whispering something so quiet I can't even pick it up. But whatever it was... I watch Tobirama's eyes fluctuate with the information. He grudgingly sighs and mumbles some insult towards the Uchiha but allows me to walk inside the tiled room, unlocking my wrists as soon as I walk in.

Hashirama closes the door and stands before me. He has several clean rags in his hands. I smile at him. He smiles at me. I lower my posture after a moment. Why wasn't he leaving.

"Feel free, whenever you're ready."

I raise an eyebrow, "You are not watching me bathe – you're a man!"

"Well I have to make sure you don't escape..."

"OUT!" I yell. Hashirama lowers his smile as he annoyingly begins taping his foot. I huff in offense, "At least turn your back!"

He turns around, reluctantly. I shake my head. Pervert.

"I have some new rags for you!"

"Great, leave them in the corner." I call out as I remove my smock. The fabric is itchy anyways. The silky smooth water falls on my hair as I slip off the pants, adorned with blood stains... and indescribable stains as well. I will ask for new pants.

I slowly unwrap the bandages around my chest groaning out as I do so. I can feel the throbbing of my forming breasts.

"Everything okay?" Hashirama asks to the door as my audible pain becomes a bit louder.

I drop the bloody bandage to the ground. It reeks of everything undesirable. I run my hands over my uncovered chest. Feeling that of a woman. I was young, the breasts were small but growing. My hand pokes one of the tender lumps. I scrunch my nose in anguish.

It was so tender. The area around it looked cut off and infected. From my breasts I run my hands down my uncovered ribs, poking out at the sides. I had become unbelievably skinny. It was sickly.

My lower body was in okay shape though, I run my hands along my sculpted legs scrubing dirt away as I go. They had a new prickliness that I wasn't used to. I splash my face in the water. Removing the dirt and who know's what from it.

I run my hands through my hair, watching the blackness and germs swim towards the large hole. Time goes so slowly as I bathe. I could stay in the water forever. I look at my blackened toenails, and it seemed like I could use that time too...

"You almost done?" Hashirama calls out, impatiently.

I sigh, "Yea, I guess I'm good."

The water shuts off and I look at Hashirama staring up at the ceiling, waiting for me. It was actually kind of cute. I run up to get my new rags and quickly wrap them around my body. My chest screams out, but I ignore it.

I dip the pants in a puddle of water and scrub on some of the stains before slipping it back on. I do the same for the shirt, before adorning that once more. I poke Hashirama's shoulder and he looks down at me.

Something crosses his mind as he stares down at me. He had gotten taller. I can sense his chakra trying to make something out of it, but nothing comes from his mouth.

"Right," he says scratching his head with a smile, "Let's go!"

"Yea," I reply softly. What was that feeling just there? I trail behind Hashirama quickly.

"So," he asks casually, "you thought about it?"

In all honesty, I hadn't but I nod. He had a plan... and I trusted him. I can't believe it. But I trusted a Senju. I sure hope Hashirama is the right one to put my faith into.

He opens the door, letting out a roar of screams from an owner inside. I look at the room, it's dark, with lanterns and pots of ink. A man with a demon mask over his mouth works wildly poking another in the chair. His tool is sharp and has bits of chakra lined in it.

The grown man cries in pain as his legs kick up. He screams over the needle. I look to Hashirama with worry. What were we witnessing?

It continues for ten minutes until the masked man, lifts the covering off and smiles. He has a weird sharp grin. The crying man shakes his head. Rubbing the arm.

The crazy needle man stares at me with lust, "You're next?!"

No... I think I'm good.

...

_A little longer then usual... just a special treat for y'all! ;)_


	4. Update

Hey guys!

I am really happy so many of you are enjoying my stories! It makes me really happy to get such supporting reviews from you all.

Unfortunately, I must admit I have been distracted from my writing. To those who don't know, I am currently an exchange student from the US, studying abroad in Germany. Speaking German 24/7 and going to German school everyday has been rough. And now I am in my last few weeks as my time slowly comes to an end.

I can assure you, that when I am back in the US I will get right back to my writing. I think it's only fair that I admit my stress and come back to the stories in a month or so... That way I'm not stressed out, and you guys get the writing you deserve - you don't want the crap I write when I need to get it out quickly! )

As always, I love you and really do appreciate your support. I feel bad about not updating you on my current status earlier. All the stories are planned out and have endings ready - they just need to be written! Aaannnd, I will totally churn them out!

You can think of this as a little preview... a summer preview for Senjus Vs Uchihas and Sasukes seducing Hinatas... and maybe... just maybe... we can write that special Chunin Exams sequel!

~Stay classy everyone! And look in your emails for the next stories coming to you soon in theate- I mean )


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